Dear Mister President,

Last week, during my amazing alone time, I was in the car when some news came on. The first thing I heard was a soundbite from your speech that day from somewhere in Iowa or Michigan.

You said, in effect, that there is nothing wrong with our country. Balancing that with a statement about how what’s wrong is our politics.

I agree that our politics are a hot mess, but I flat-out disagree that there is nothing wrong with our country. There is SO much wrong with our country, but you and I would NEVER see eye-to-eye on that, so I’m not even going there.

That evening, over a leisurely dinner with my husband, I mentioned your speech. He agreed wholeheartedly with my sentiments.

Fast-forward to later that night. Husband was lying on the couch flipping through the channels, and I was painting the laundry room, right next to the living room. And yes, when I get time alone, I paint rooms. I’m crazy like that.

He stopped on a channel, and it only took a moment for me to realize what he was watching, though we’ve never even seen an episode. He watched it for a few more minutes, and I hollered, “Remember earlier today, when Obama said that there’s nothing wrong with America? This is exhibit A.”

The show “Jersey Shore.” It’s everything that’s wrong with America, all wrapped up into an hour-long (or is it half-hour? I don’t even know) package of filth and raunch. That show is so dirty you’ll feel like you’ve contracted a disease just by sitting on your couch and watching it.

So, Mr. President, I implore of you: please stop telling people there’s nothing wrong with our country. It couldn’t be further from the truth, and if you insist on talking about it more, I’ll have to forward you an episode of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” as further evidence.

Shockingly (b/c I’ve been known to watch a couple low-standard TV shows), I’ve never seen Jersey Shore, the Kardashian show (I don’t know the name, but I’m pretty sure there is one), and a few other “reality” shows I’ve heard of but deem too stupid/gross even for me. I so often think back to what the TV standards were when I was growing up, and although there were a few slightly questionable shows, it was rare that the whole family couldn’t watch whatever was on TV. Not that there weren’t societal problems/bad behavior “back in my day”–of course there was–but people generally knew enough to be ashamed of it/hide it/not tolerate it/etc.!

So totally agree. Never seen Jersey Shore or any show mentioned, but from previews, I can see that I really don’t want to be reminded of the large numbers of whiny, lazy, self-indulgent citizens who do nothing to contribute to this country! (whew, I feel better)